Try me

IVAN
~•~
"You're going to stay here Camilla, because I need you. And you promised you would not leave." It was hard to hear myself speak, to believe that I had admitted to wanting…no, needing someone. I did not know what was slowly becoming of me, and I could not tell if I liked it. Her lazy brown eyes flickered up at me, I caught the smile within them, even though she would not let me see her lips thin into a smile.
For a moment, when I had seen her rush back to pack her clothes, my heart skipped several beats. The thought that she was going to leave, that no one was going to hold me during my manic episodes, that no one was going to comfort me or want to listen to the things I had to say, everything terrified me.
She gazed up at me, I was several inches taller than her, and I did not think anything was wrong with the way I enjoyed looking down at her, she was so small compared to me, I wanted to pull her into my arms and squeeze her, just the same way I would squeeze Tina.
Finally! Her lips thinned into the smile I had been anticipating. Her brown eyes brightened immediately and she opened her arms.
I stood still, not sure if she expected me to embrace her.
"Come on now, mister Ivan. Here, give me a hug." She called out.
I felt a strange form of heat energy form in my stomach and travel to my chest, and then the sides of my cheek. They were so warm, I was sure they had turned red.
Was I…blushing?
I found myself waltzing closer to her, before I wrapped myself in her arms. I locked my huge hands around her, pinning her close to my chest.
She made a disgruntled sound, before breaking out into a soft laughter.
By God! Even her laughter seemed like a melody to my ears.
What was happening to me?
I felt her thin fingers travel down my back as she tapped me gently.
"You know that you are going to be alright, with or without me, right?"
I heard her speak.
I buried my nose into the nape of her neck, longing to breathe in her full scent. I could not understand what pulled me to her, but I willingly gave into it.
"I do not think I want to know."
"I would have to leave someday." She continued, I could hear the laughter in her voice.
I intertwined my fingers at her back. She squealed in sharp pain, and I chuckled.
"Not if I can help it."
"What does that even mean?"
Just as I was about to speak, the door of her room flung open. She pushed me away immediately and created a distance between us.
I saw her chest rise and fall while she took in deep breaths, her eyes ladened with shock.
I continued to look at Camilla, I was not interested in the woman at the foot of her door.
I knew it was Sarah, no one else could have torn the door down like they owned the place.
The sound of her heels against the marble floor resonated from the walls of the room. She stepped into the room and Camilla continued to stare at me, her eyes pleaded, beckoned on me to say something.
I turned away from her and fixed my gaze on Sarah. She had a wry smile on her face, her lips stained with red lipstick.
"Ivan darling, you have not introduced me to your friend."
My jaw hardened. I hated that she tried to act like we were fine and in love in front of Camilla, when she knew that I did not want to have her in my house.
But, Camilla did not need to know that.
"Sarah, you should be resting with Tina."
She waved me a hand of dismissal.
"Oh! Don't worry about me. I've put Tina and Tommy to sleep." She looked away from me, while tucking her right arm in my left. My fists rolled into tight balls on their own accord.
She fixed her eyes on Camilla.
"Tina and Tommy are our kids, lovely children."
Camilla looked down at her, before returning her eyes to me.
"Sarah…" I started to speak, but she cut me off immediately.
Sarah stretched a hand out to Camilla, a broad smile plastered on her face, too broad to be real.
"I am Sarah, Sarah Holloway. Antonio told me Ivan's doctor was living with him. I wanted to see for myself because that is quite a rare occurrence, but my husband is an equally rare man, is he not?"
She was squeezing my arm, irritation pricked the hairs on my skin.
I wished she'll stop.
Camilla forced a smile, stretching her left hand out to accept her handshake. Sarah squeezed her fingers gently, I saw the frown on Camilla's face.
"Yes, he is quite a rare man."
"That's why I love him." She blurted out.
Okay! That's it. She had done enough for one night. I placed my hand on her right wrist and squeezed it firmly.
"Alright, it's time to get to bed now Sarah."
She smiled at me, before casting Camilla one last look that I could not see. I was too busy dragging her out of Camilla's room and crossing the door to mine.
I pushed my door open and flung her into it, before closing and locking the door behind me. I turned to her, my face contorted with rage, I was smoldered with resentment for her, and all she had ever made me go through.
"What do you think you're doing?" I asked, taking menacing steps towards her. Sarah did not back down, she did not so much as stagger back. She stared back at me, with an almost equal intensity.
"What did it look like I was doing? I was claiming my home back." She snapped.
I did not know when I flung my head back in sheer, bitter laughter.
"Claiming your home? I don't think you understand what's happening here, Sarah. You do not have a home here, not anymore. I want you out of this building by tomorrow, and I am not mixing my words." I spoke calmly and carefully. There was never a need to yell at Sarah, she would choose to deafen her ears whenever she pleased.
"You should know me better, Ivan. I believe you know that I am not going to listen to you. This is my home, I am your wife, Tina and Tommy are your children…"
"Tina is my child." I cut in.
She scoffed and kissed her teeth, her eyes swept around the room before they landed on me again.
"If I leave here, I'm leaving with Tina and Tommy and I swear by God you would never see them again." She closed the distance between us as she spoke, I swallowed hard. Sarah never said things she could not do.
"You would not dare." I spoke through clenched teeth, even though I knew she would.
She brushed my chest with her palms and tiptoed to plant a kiss on my cheek. I stood frozen as she leaned into my right ear.
"Please Ivan, by all means, try me."